Press Release – FAA Statement–New Notice to Airmen Issued for Syria

For Immediate Release

August 18, 2014
Contact: Laura J. Brown
Phone: (202) 359-3680

The Federal Aviation Administration today issued a new Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) restricting U.S. operators from flying in the Damascus Flight Information Region, which includes all of Syria. This replaces the current NOTAM in place that strongly advises U.S. operators against flying in that airspace and requires them to contact the FAA before they operate in that airspace. Based on an updated assessment of the risk associated with such operations and the lack of any requests from operators wishing to fly in this airspace, we believe it prudent to prohibit U.S. operators from flying into, out of, and over Syria. The ongoing armed conflict and volatile security environment in Syria poses a serious potential threat to civil aviation. Armed extremist groups in Syria are known to be equipped with a variety of anti-aircraft weapons which have the capability to threaten civilian aircraft. Opposition groups have successfully shot down Syrian military aircraft using these anti-aircraft weapon systems during the course of the conflict. Opposition elements have previously warned civilian air carriers against providing service to Syria. Due to the presence of anti-aircraft weapons among the extremist groups and ongoing fighting in various locations throughout Syria, there is a continuing significant potential threat to civil aviation operating in Syrian airspace.

The new NOTAM supersedes previous FAA guidance for this airspace.

The text of the NOTAM reads:

!FDC 4/4936 (KFDC A0036/14) ZZZ PART 1 OF 2 SECURITY SYRIA POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION–DAMASCUS (OSTT) FLIGHT INFORMATION REGION (FIR) DUE TO THE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION CREATED BY THE ARMED CONFLICT IN SYRIA, ALL FLIGHT OPERATIONS IN THE DAMASCUS (OSTT) FLIGHT INFORMATION REGION (FIR) BY THE PERSONS DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH A BELOW ARE PROHIBITED UNTIL FURTHER ADVISED. A. APPLICABILITY. THIS NOTAM APPLIES TO: ALL U.S. AIR CARRIERS AND COMMERCIAL OPERATORS; ALL PERSONS EXERCISING THE PRIVILEGES OF AN AIRMAN CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY THE FAA, EXCEPT SUCH PERSONS OPERATING U.S.-REGISTERED AIRCRAFT FOR A FOREIGN AIR CARRIER; AND ALL OPERATORS OF AIRCRAFT REGISTERED IN THE UNITED STATES, EXCEPT WHERE THE OPERATOR OF SUCH AIRCRAFT IS A FOREIGN AIR CARRIER. B. PERMITTED OPERATIONS. THIS NOTAM DOES NOT PROHIBIT PERSONS DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH A FROM CONDUCTING FLIGHT OPERATIONS IN THE DAMASCUS FIR (OSTT) WHEN SUCH OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED EITHER BY ANOTHER AGENCY OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE FAA OR BY A DEVIATION, EXEMPTION, OR OTHER AUTHORIZATION ISSUED 1408182230-1412312359EST END PART 1 OF 2

!FDC 4/4936 (KFDC A0036/14) ZZZ PART 2 OF 2 SECURITY BY THE ADMINISTRATOR. OPERATORS SHOULD CALL THE FAA WASHINGTON OPERATIONS CENTER AT 202-267-3333 FOR FAA AUTHORIZATION OF OPERATIONS. C. EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. IN AN EMERGENCY THAT REQUIRES IMMEDIATE DECISION AND ACTION FOR THE SAFETY OF THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF AN AIRCRAFT MAY DEVIATE FROM THIS NOTAM TO THE EXTENT REQUIRED BY THAT EMERGENCY. THE PROHIBITION ON OPERATIONS IN THE AIRSPACE SPECIFIED IN THIS NOTAM AND THE ASSOCIATED JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS SPECIAL NOTICE WILL BE RE-EVALUATED BY 31 DEC 2014. THIS NOTAM IS AN EMERGENCY ORDER ISSUED UNDER 49 USC 40113(A) AND 46105(C). 1408182230-1412312359EST END PART 2 OF 2